Swimming aid



Feb.11, 1969 N. DRAGICH SWIMMING AID Filed Deo. '11, 1967 N f im ummmHL 6m *Qm- -ATTORNEYj United States Patent O 3,426,722 SWIMMING AID Nicholas Dragich, 98 Riverdale Ave., Buffalo, N.Y. 14207 Filed Dec. 11, 1967, Ser. No. 689,656 U.S. Cl. 11S-26.3 Int. Cl. B 63d 3/12; B63h 1/30, 5/00 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention has to do with an improved device to provide a lswimmer with a mechanical leverage to propel him through the water by the use of a n member on a free pivot but actuated by the users feet.

Varied mechanical aids have been proposed to assist swimmers, or to permit them greater enjoyment in swim ming, but each proposal has definite drawbacks which are overcome in the present invention by providing substantially rigid members, whereby it is possible to obtain a leverage advantage applied to a iin member through an elongate tail section.

Unusual control in propelling oneself through the water is possible with the invention as well as an unlimited range of movements.

The foregoing concepts are entirely lacking in the prior practices and other details and objects of the invention will appear from the -detailed description in the following specification.

In the drawing:

FIG. l is a side elevational view showing the entire swimming aid attached to the body of a user;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the device shown in FIG. 1, with the body engaging straps unfastened, and showing the tail and n in the different positions they would assume during use;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial section taken on line 3 3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged top plan view taken on line 5 5 of FIG. 1, showing the fn in various positions and showing its connection to the tail.

As shown in the drawings, a relatively thin rigid web 2 is provided with a front portion 4, a body crotch-fitting portion 6 and a rear portion 8. A body back-tting pad 10 having body engaging straps 12 is attached to front portion 4 by means of a swivel connection 14 having lugs 16 which support a pivot 18 mounted in a cooperating opening in web portion 4, thereby providing a form of universal joint connection.

A hand grip 20 extends outwardly on each side of web 2 adjacent the crotch portion 6 for ready grasp by the user when in the water.

The webs rear portion '8 is slotted at 22 and also supports a pivot pin 24 which passes through the slot 22.

A tail section 26, in the general shape of a T, has its front ends center forward edge located partially in slot 22,

and has an aperture 28 therein through which the pivot pin 24 has been passed to pivotally secure the tail to the web. The tail section has outwardly extending arms 30 which provide foot rests for the user as shown, whereby alternate motion by the users legs will cause an oscillating action of the tail. The rear end 32 of the tail is bifurcated to terminate in the spaced fingers 34 and 36 which support the adjustable screws 3,8 and 40, which screws have their inner ends extending into the bifurcation.

Attached to the rear end 32 of the tail is a `fin member 42 which has a slot 44 in its front edge and a pivot pin 46 extending across the slot and through an opening in the tail rear end to complete a pivotal attachment between the n and the tail.

The iin 42 is free to oscillate or pivot within the limits permitted by the fingers 34 and 36; or if the screws 38 and 40 are used, the permissible extent of pivotal movement of the iin can be adjusted by turning the screws in or out as desired.

In operation the pad would be strapped onto the users back, and assuming that the user is substantially face down in the water in the position illustrated in FIG. l, the front portion 4 of the web would overlie the users lower back, the crotch portion 6 would be adjacent the users crotch, and the rear portion 8 would extend between the legs, with the users hands engaging the grip 20 and the feet pressing on the outer ends of arms 30 of the tail. The user would be free to roll over, twist or bend at the waist or make other desired body movements. The web, tail, and lin are all made of relatively thin, but substantially rigid material, with the fin being located a substantial distance beyond the users feet to achieve a mechanical advantage in leverage.

When the user flexes his legs by alternately bending one knee and straightening the other, the tail will assume the dotted line positions shown in FIG. 2 and the 1in will assume the dotted line positions shown in FIGS. 2 and 5. The fin, as shown, is preferably of a relatively narrow shape; and it is the reversing limited angular position of the fin with respect to the tail which pushes on the water and causes the user to move forward in the water.

Preferably, as shown, the pivot pin 46 is substantially on an axial line with the front of the fin.

While there has been shown and described only the preferred form of the invention, it is obvious that variations thereof are possible and are intended to be covered by the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A swimming aid device adapted to be attached to the body of a user wherein the improvement comprises,

a main web having a front portion, a crotch-fitting portion and a rear portion,

a body back-fitting pad having torso engaging straps,

a universal joint connecting said pad and said front portion,

hand grips mounted on each side of said web adjacent said crotch-fitting portion,

an elongated tail section having a front end providing spaced foot rests and a rear end, a pivot connection between said web rear portion and said tail front end,

a fin member pivotally attached in said tail rear end for limited free pivotal movement,

said web, tail, and lin all being formed of substantially rigid material whereby in use alternate thrusting by a users feet will cause an oscillating movement of the tail and a forward driving movement by the n.

2. The improved swimming aid device as described in claim 1 wherein manually adjustable means are provided to vary the permissible pivotal movement of said fin with respect to said tail section.

3. The improved swimming aid device as described in claim 1 wherein said iin member is positioned in a plane at substantially 90 with respect to the plane of the tail member.

4. The improved swimming aid device as described in claim 1 wherein the pivotal attachment between the iin member and tail section is adjacent the front of the fin member.

5. The improved swimming aid device as described in claim 1 wherein the rear end of the tail section is bifur- 4 cated to permit limited pivotal movements of the iin member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,530,560 3/1925 Heminger 11S-26.3

FOREIGN PATENTS 847,627 7/ 1939 France.

10 ANDREW H. FARRELL, Primary Examiner.

U.S. C1. X.R. 

